The Lost Kingdom

Chapter 16 - Love's Awakening

Cinder woke up in one of the healer's tents. Ivory was sitting next to her reading a book, looking unusually peaceful despite the scratches across her pale face.  Cinder sat up, and immediately regretted doing so. Her body ached as she moved, and her head pounded in her skull. Bandages covered her body. A wet cloth lay on a basin beside her makeshift bed, covered in blood.

Ivory looked over at Cinder, taking her eyes off of the book she was reading. Ivory, too, favored several bandages, though she seemed to have recovered easily enough.

"What happened?" Cinder mumbled, lying back down.

Ivory seemed hesitant to answer, and Cinder cast her a glance. Her friend's eyes stared at the ground, and she softly closed the book. "Prince Erick died a few hours ago. You've been unconscious sense the end of the battle... W-we won, all of the fleets did, but very few Pulcharians survived and King Ezemar has lost his nerves."

Cinder recalled the fleeting kiss she had shared with Prince Persius, and seeing Prince Erick on the ground. But not going unconscious. How had that happened?

The sound of footsteps could be heard from outside the tent. A tall shadow was cast upon the tent, and then Prince Ronan peeked inside. Cuts covered his face and his lip had dried blood on it, but besides a bandage around his chest, he seemed otherwise unhurt.

Cinder could see the sorrow clouding the Prince's eyes. Usually, there was a certain energy about Ronan that Cinder enjoyed. Most of the time when she saw him, he was joking with someone, and she'd never seen him be unkind. It hurt her to see him looking so depressed, as if all the happiness had been sucked from his world.

"Could I talk to Cinder for a moment?" he asked, and even his cheerful tone had abandoned him. He just sounded broken.

Ivory nodded and stepped out of the tent, murmuring condolences to the Prince as she left.

Prince Ronan sat in the chair Ivory had been in, running a hand through his messy curls. Cinder waited for him to speak, silently wishing it was Persius who was with her. When Ronan began to speak, he lifted his eyes to Cinder, and his gaze was piercing.

"Do you love Persius?"

That was the last thing Cinder had expected to hear, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer. Did she love Persius? He was so stern and serious, but at times gentle and caring...

"Yes."

She was surprised by the certainty in her voice, but realized that it mirrored what her heart felt.

"You'd do anything for him?" Ronan said, and Cinder nodded, sure of herself now.

"But does he love me?" she asked. "Would he do anything for me?"

Ronan scoffed. "He never shuts up about the golden eyed girl who caught his attention the first night you arrived. He adores you Cinder, and our father knows. He's never approved of us having relationships with those not in his inner circle, though. He's threatening to marry Persius off to a Council member's daughter.

Persius told me he wouldn't. He's in the garden now. We would have given you a room in the castle, but there were many other injured warriors. Ellamenta is celebrating a victory and mourning my brother's death. Go to Persius. He needs you."

Cinder nodded, rising from the bed. She pushed away the pain in her wounds, and smiled at Ronan when he helped her out. Before he could walk away, she grabbed his arm.

"Prince Ronan, how did Persius get the scar on his face?" Cinder asked, and Ronan took a moment to answer, debating whether or not he should tell.